If you’re a fan of Jeopardy, you’re probably familiar with the Daily Double. If you’re lucky enough to uncover this question, you have the opportunity to risk your entire current earnings instead of the stated amount on the puzzle board. If you’re behind, the Daily Double can get you back in the game or, if you’re in the lead, you can solidify your position – if you answer correctly and in the form of a question.

In June, Louisiana Baptists have the opportunity to experience a Daily Double of sorts as New Orleans hosts the 2023 meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. In addition to this annual gathering of Southern Baptists from across the nation, New Orleans will also host Crossover and the Serve Tour.  Both of these are evangelistic opportunities that have the potential to impact the New Orleans area in ways we’ve long prayed for.

Crossover is not new to SBC life. Crossover is an intentional evangelistic strategy meant to bring Southern Baptists to the annual meeting host city pre-Convention. Keith Manuel, Director of our Evangelism and Church Growth Team, is the designated point person for Crossover from our LB staff. I want to encourage you to sign up to volunteer for Crossover. A quick way to sign up is by texting NOLA to 888123.

The NAMB sponsored SERVE Tour is also headed to New Orleans on the weekend before the SBC annual meeting. The Serve Tour seeks to involve people in acts of service as the foundation to evangelism. This may appeal to your evangelistic personality more. You can sign up using the same link, texting NOLA to 888123. I’d like to challenge Louisiana Baptists to adopt a goal of one Crossover Team and one Serve Team per association.

We do not need to miss this opportunity. By the providential hand of God, the annual meeting of Southern Baptists has been adjusted to come to our state in 2023. I don’t believe anything is by accident. Let’s believe the reason that the SBC annual meeting has been moved to New Orleans is to have maximum Gospel impact in New Orleans and the entire region surrounding the Crescent City.

We are mindful of Jesus’ words: “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38)

We know that the harvest is ripe for abundance in New Orleans. And now, we can say that the workers in that harvest are going to be more than usual, at least for this abbreviated time. Again, we cannot miss this strategic opportunity.

Would you consider altering your schedule to take advantage of these opportunities? I pray that we will see scores of people from our churches involved and as a result, hundreds of people saved. In fact, we are praying for 2,023 people to be saved as a result of Crossover and Serve.

I’ve been praying daily for Louisiana Baptists to be known as having a culture of evangelism. I hope that you will join me in this prayer and this “Daily Double” opportunity to impact this area of our state with the Gospel.